
LEN. G, BROUGHTON 



Class 5V 4-510 
Book 74- 

(KEEHRIGHT DEPOSE 



God's Will and My 
Life 

BY 

Rev. L^h, G. Broughton 

Author: "The Revival of a Dead Church," 
"Up From Sin," &c. 




Chicago New York Toronto 

Fleming H. Revell Company 

London and Edinburgh 



Copyright, 1903, by 
FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY 



(August) 



1 



THE LIBRARY Of 

CONGRESS, 
Two Cowee Rbcqved 

OCT 19 1903 

DLAS8 ^XXa Wo. 

6 7 b f 
OOfY C 



Chicago: 63 Washington Street 
New York: 158 Fifth Avenue 
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London: 21 Paternoster Square 
Edinburgh: 30 St. Mary Street 



To the "Northfield Conference of Christian 
Workers" this message is dedicated. 

— The Author t 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



Finding so much personal com- 
fort in the scriptural truths con- 
tained in this little volume, I send 
it forth to be some blessing to 
others. Len. G. B. 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE. 



By Rev. Lex. G. Broughton. 
Atlanta, Ga. 

Some years ago, during the Wo- 
man's Conference at Xorthfield, one 
Sunday morning, at n o'clock, I sat 
in the front seat in the corner of the 
village church. The speaker, Rob- 
ert E. Speer, toot for his subject, 
"Every Human Life a Plan of 
God." I remember very distinctly 
the announcement of his subject, 
though I do not remember his text 
or anything that he said especially. 

When he had announced his sub- 
ject, my mind instantly went back 

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GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



over hills and valleys and rivers and 
streams until it rested in a little cot- 
tage, out in the rural district of cen- 
tral North Carolina, where my eyes 
first saw the light of day. Then I 
asked this question: Is it possible, 
O God, that that morning, Decem- 
ber 5, 1865, in that humble spot by 
the side of that humble little life, 
the infinite God stood with a chart 
and compass in His hand for the 
government of this life? There came 
to me, as definitely as any words 
ever came to my ears, this answer : 
"Yes, it is not only possible, but it 
is true." I put my head down on 
the pew in front of me and began to 
pray: "O Lord, I am sorry I had 
no one to tell me this truth in those 
days, and now I pray Thee forgive 

8 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



all the mistakes of the past and let 
me get this morning into the circle 
of Thy plan, and keep me there, 
Holy Father, until the day of my 
death." While I am conscious of 
many blunders I have made since 
that day, I am conscious also of the 
fact that that morning was an 
epoch in my life. Since then I have 
seen God with different eyes, and 
His truth has been to me what it 
had never been before. 

It was just this that the Apostle 
Paul was speaking about in Colonel 
4:12: "Epaphras, who is one of 
you, a servant of Christ, saluteth 
you, always laboring fervently for 
you in prayers, that ye may stand 
perfect and complete in all the will 
of God." Epaphras was praying 



9 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



for certain brethren, that they might 
be "perfect and complete in the will 
of God." It is one thing to do 
right ; it is another thing to be 
right. Many of us are trying to do 
right who are not right. All the 
right doing will amount to nothing 
in the sight of God until we are 
right. 

It seems to me that the Apostle 
Paul has the same idea in Galatians 
2:20: "I am crucified with Christ; 
nevertheless I live ; yet not I, but 
Christ liveth in trie." 

There are three classes of Chris- 
tians. First, the man whose creed 
is made up of "don'ts." Ask that 
man to engage in anything that is 
questionable, and he at once says : 
"No, I don't do that ; I am dead ; I 



10 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



am crucified with Christ." I wish 
we had more of that class in our 
churches. 

Then we have another class whose 
creed is made up of "dos." They 
are always "hustling." They are 
never absent from any church meet- 
ing, and are constantly filled with 
good works. And yet, I am sorry 
to say, it does not take very much 
persuasion for them to engage in 
anything that is questionable. They 
live, but they are not crucified. 

Now the other class of people — 
and I would to God that there were 
more of them — is a class represented 
by the apostle when he says : "I am 
crucified with Christ (I don't) ; 
nevertheless I live (I do) ; yet not 
I, but Christ liveth in me! 3 The 



ii 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



dos and the don'ts are brought to- 
gether by the plus sign of the cross, 
and there we have a perfect Chris- 
tian. 

" perfect/' 

We must understand that the 
apostle in using the word perfect is 
not holding up to these Colossians 
a hope that they may enter into a 
state of perfection that admits of 
no higher development. It is not 
the perfection of maturity: that he 
is praying for. The Apostle Paul 
knows too well that they can never 
attain unto that in this life. He is, 
however, praying that they may en- 
ter into the perfection of state. The 
difference is illustrated by the apple 
on the tree. The apple when it is 



12 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



half-grown is perfect, providing it 
is appropriating all of the environ- 
ment that go to make up perfect 
fruit; but it has not reached the 
perfection of maturity until it ripens 
and falls to the ground. The apostle 
here is praying that these Chris- 
tians may live in a state of perfec- 
tion, appropriating all that God en- 
virons them with for the develop- 
ment of their Christian character. 

"complete/' 

Then let us take the next word, 
"That ye may stand perfect and 
complete/' The Revised Version 
translates the word "fully assured/' 
Thus not only is it possible to enter 
and live in the will of God, but like- 
wise that we may know that we are 



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GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



in the will of God. If that is true, 
it becomes a very interesting ques- 
tion, Arm 1 living day by day in the 
will of God? Not only am I in the 
will of God in the major things of 
life, not only am I in the will of 
God when I am preaching and ex- 
plaining the Scriptures, or attend- 
ing conventions, but am I living 
day by day, hour by hour, moment 
by moment, at home and abroad, in 
the perfect will of God? That is the 
question. 

HOW MAY WE KNOW HIS W r ILL. 

We may know by coming to the 
Word of God and finding out, first 
of all, what is the will of God con- 
cerning His people, and then by 
analyzing our own lives and seeing 



14 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



whether or not we conform to the 
will of God concerning us. 

SAVED. 

The first thing I will ask you to 
note, is that it is the will of God 
that all men should be saved. II. 
Peter 3 :g : "The Lord is not slack 
concerning His promise, as some 
men count slackness ; but is long suf- 
fering to usward, not willing that 
any should perish, but that all should 
come to repentance." That is uni- 
versalism in so far as its provision 
is concerned, but it is specialism in 
so far as its appropriation goes. I 
used to hear my father tell how, 
when he was quite young, the 
United States government, by uni- 
versal proclamation, offered land 



15 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



out West to any young man who 
would go and settle upon it. My 
father was anxious to go, but could 
not make up his mind. While he 
was debating the question, two of 
his companions decided to go, and 
they went. Those two young men 
settled upon the land and became 
independently rich. My father gave 
it up in doubt, remained at home, 
and btvame dependent!}- poor. 
There is a universal proclamation, 
which became special because all 
men would not accept it. The 
atonement of Jesus Christ is broad 
enough to take in the universe of 
God. Xever has there been a soul 
that has not had a chance at salva- 
tion in the purpose of God, but how 
16 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



sad it is that so few have accepted 
this provision and have been saved. 

Are we standing in perfect har- 
mony with this part of the will of 
God? Do we believe that it is the 
will of God that every man should 
be saved? It is easy to think that 
God wills the salvation of our 
church and of our neighbors, 
and of good, respectable peo- 
ple, but has the thought taken 
possession of God, that the vilest 
possession of us as it has taken 
sinner, the gutter snipe, is just as 
eagerly sought by God as the man 
who lives in the mansion? Until 
that thought has taken possession 
of us, so that we are willing to live 
that way, and to work that way, we 
are not in the will of God. Do you 



17 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



not think that the world sees how 
the church makes a division among 
men? They see that we are more 
anxious about the salvation of some 
people than we are others; they see 
us running after the rich, and the 
intelligent, and the refined, to the 
neglect of the poor, and the outcast. 
Hence the world does not respect 
our religion. Oh, it is easy to bring 
sinners to Christ when the sinner 
becomes convinced that it is his soul 
that we are after and not his wealth. 

SANCTIFIED 

Take the next step. It is the will 
of God that the saints should be 
sanctified. L Thessialonens 4:3.7: 
"For this is the will of God, even 
your sanctification. For God hath 

18 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



not called us unto uncleaness, but 
unto holiness." Let us not be fright- 
ened here. I know how prejudiced 
we are upon this subject of sancti- 
fication, and yet there is nothing 
taught in the Bible any more defi- 
nitely than the doctrine of sanctifica- 
tion. 

What are we to understand by 
this word "sanctify?" It means 
two things, to cleanse and to set 
apart. It is the will of God that we 
shall be clean. Is there any man in 
this world who doubts that? Would 
you be satisfied to live with an un- 
clean companion? Is God any less 
satisfied to live with an unclean 
soul ? Of course it is the will of God 
that we should be clean. 

It is also the will of God that we 



19 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



should be separate, set apart. Sure- 
ly there is not one who would say 
that God does not will the separa- 
tion of His people from sin and 
from sinful companions. Is there a 
true wife who would be satisfied to 
live with a husband not separated 
unto herself ? Never. Of course it 
is the will of God that we should 
live a separate life, holy unto Him. 

Now, if this is the will of God, 
it is possible for us to attain it. In 
the purpose of God we are sancti- 
fied, we are cleahsed; we are sep- 
arated the moment that we are re- 
generated. But though this be true 
of us in the purpose of God, it is not 
true of us in our experience. We 
have the birthright, but we have not 
claimed it ; and what we need is to 



20 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



get down humbly before Him and 
by faith appropriate what He has 
provided for us. 

DELIVERED. 

We come to the next step. It is 
the will of God that we shall be de- 
livered from the power of sin. I 
Corinthians 10:13. "There hath no 
temptation taken you but such as is 
common to man; but God is faith- 
ful, who will not suffer you to be 
tempted above that ye are able; 
but will with the temptation also 
make a way of escape." How 
precious this truth is to my heart. 
Temptation is not an uncommon 
thing. God has not willed to keep 
us from temptation, but, blessed be 
21 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



His name, He does will to keep us 
from being mastered by it. 

But when we are tempted, then 
what? Fix your eyes upon Jesus. 
He says He hath provided for every 
temptation, not only the great temp- 
tations, not the little ones simply, 
but for every: temptatioh He has 
provided a way of escape. There is 
no reason in the world, as I read the 
Scriptures, why any Christian 
should yield to temptation. Christ 
has made the way of escape. If His 
word be true, there is always a rem- 
edy if we will only look up and ob- 
tain the light and the strength. So 
when we come to face our tempta- 
tion, let us face our Christ, and in 
His strength we may become 



22 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



strong, but in our strength we are 
ever weak and feeble. 

FILLED. 

Let us take another step. It is 
the will of God that zve should re- 
ceive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 
Luke 11:13: "How much more 
shall your Heavenly Father give the 
Holy Spirit to them that ask Him." 
Jesus Christ wills that every man, 
that every woman, that every child 
redeemed by His blood should re- 
ceive the gift of the Holy Spirit. It 
may not be the power to preach, or 
to teach, or become a missionary, 
or to evangelize, or to write books 
or edit papers, but He wills to equip 
every saved soul with the gift of 
power for the life that He desires 

23 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



that soul to live. The Holy Spirit 
is in charge of the work of extend- 
ing the kingdom of God on earth, 
and when a man believes this and 
surrenders his life to the Holy 
Spirit as the Master of the situa- 
tion, that he may be guided and di- 
rected and instructed and empow- 
ered by Him, that moment he re- 
ceives the gift of the Holy Spirit. 
How important. First, in order that 
we comprehend "the Word of Life." 

I shall never forget a visit into 
Luray Cave, Virginia. As I went 
in I was given a candle, which was 
to furnish light. When we got in 
the midst of stalactites and stalag- 
mites I was disappointed. They 
were pretty, but not half so pretty 
as I expected. Finally, my guide 



24 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



took from his pocket a roll of mag- 
nesium ribbon and asked me to give 
him my candle, which I did. He 
then touched the ribbon to it, and 
such a light as I have never seen 
flashed out through the cave. My ! 
stalactites and stalagmites such as I 
never dreamed of before were be- 
fore me. They had been there all 
the time. I had not been able to 
see them. So in the comprehension 
of the Word of God. We fail, be- 
cause we rely too much on the can- 
dle-light of reason. God wants us 
to offer up our minds to be touched 
by His Spirit. Then the light flashes 
and that which we have never seen 
is brought plain. 

Again, we need the Spirit for 
power in service. Once I saw an 

25 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



electric car loaded with passengers 
come to a standstill about half way 
up a hill. The motorman had great 
difficulty in keeping it from running 
backwards. Somebody asked what 
was the matter, and the conductor 
said "the trolley had jumped the 
tram wire." How much like the 
church. The majority of us preach- 
ers are working more on the back 
brakes than anything else. We have 
given up the standstill situation. 
All we now hope for is to keep from 
running backward. There is no 
connection between the tram wire of 
power and our work. 

GUIDED. 

Now, take one further step. It is 
the will of God that we should be 



26 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



guided in daily life. This is perhaps 
more practical than anything else. 
Psalm 32:8: "I will instruct thee 
and teach thee in the way that thou 
shouldst go." Is not that a blessed 
promise? How we are confronted 
by the perplexities of life. But, 
blessed be God, there is a way of 
light. We may have to wait to see 
it, but the waiting pays. Sometimes 
we get the worst of it by not wait- 
ing. Here is a man confronted with 
a certain proposition. He does not 
know whether to accept this propo- 
sition or not. It looks dark both 
ways. And after a while he says: 
"I cannot wait any longer for God 
to tell me; I must take matters in 
my own hands and do the best I 
can." Every time we do that we 



27 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



come out worse. We can afford to 
wait if we are waiting on God. 

But does God promise to guide 
ever) r one of us? Under certain 
conditions He does. Solomon tells 
us whom God proposes to guide. 
Proverbs 3 :6 : "In all thy ways ac- 
knowledge Him, and He shall direct 
thy paths." God will guide every 
one who acknowledges Him. 

You recall the story of Mendels- 
sohn and the young musician who 
refused to let him try the cathedral 
organ. But when the master hand 
had once touched the keys, how 
ashamed the novice was of his own 
bungling work. My brethren, at 
best we are making but little har- 
mony with our lives, at best we are 
living in the midst of discord; we 

28 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



know very little about how to play 
on the keyboard of life. God never 
intended that we should play it. This 
instrument, this divine instrument, 
with these keys, was made for the 
fingers of God. Jesus Christ, the 
Holy Spirit, God the Father, the 
triune God, comes close to us and 
says, "Child of My creation, leave 
off trying to control your own life's 
music. Let my fingers play on the 
keyboard of your life. You must 
be tired of this discord, of this con- 
fusion of sounds that you think, per- 
haps, may be so good, but as I see it 
from heaven it is most miserable dis- 
cord. Let me have the keyboard." 
What answer shall we make? Are 
we saying, "No, I want to do the 
best I can with it. I cannot sur- 



29 



GOD'S WILL AND MY LIFE 



render. I am afraid thou wilt not 
make the music that I like/' O my 
God, help us to leave the keyboard 
and let the Holy Spirit come and 
take His seat, let His fingers touch 
the keys and His meloyd dominate 
Our life. This is life in "the will of 
God." 



30 





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